Question of the Week: Do you trust the government to protect us from the next deadly pathogen?

The government’s health agencies have been under the microscope lately for lapses in their handling of lethal pathogens. In June, there were reports that almost 90 workers may have been exposed to anthrax at the Centers for Disease Control labs in Atlanta. A month later, reports revealed that vials containing live smallpox had been found in an unused storage room at a Food and Drug Administration lab in Bethesda, Maryland. And this all comes on top ofnewsover the past couple of years on the rise of the “superbug” – bacteria resistant to drug treatments – that many complain the FDA has not done enough to prevent.

Which brings us to this month’s news that the CDC has moved two Americans infected with the ultra deadly Ebola virus from Africa into the United States. While it is certainly laudable that the U.S. is taking care of its own, the recent lapses beg the question of whether the government is up to the task of protecting us fromthese dangerous pathogens.

So what do you think?

Do you trust the government to protect us from the next deadly pathogen?

Yes

No

Please let us know why in the comment section below.

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These recent lapses make it clear the CDC and FDA have work to do in gearing up for these potential threats. Hopefully, they are learning from these past mistakes and taking what steps need to be taken to prepare. But based on how they are dealing with the overuse of antibiotics, I have my doubts.

The government does its best but it has proven to not be enough. I don’t know if it is a question of trust because I think the government wants to protect us from deadly pathogens, but whether it has the ability for whatever reason is another question…